Hear Me Now
by Akuma-Chibi
Summary: This is a School for the Uniquely Genii type. A great many children are admitted into Asylums or Mental Health Care Establishments under the assumption that they are unhinged, disturbed...insane. Truth be told, these quirky little deviants are simply misunderstood in their abnormalities. So, they are brought to Wammy's Academy for the Gifted.
1. Near

**Hear Me Now**

**Summary: This is a School for the Uniquely Genii type. A great many children are admitted into Asylums or Mental Health Care Establishments under the assumption that they are unhinged, disturbed...insane. Truth be told, these quirky little deviants are simply ****_misunderstood_**** in their ****_abnormalities_****. So, they are brought to Wammy's Academy for the Gifted.**

**Anime: InuYasha/Death Note**

**Pairing: Near/Mello**

**Genre: Romance/Suspense/Angst**

**Rated: M for Mature Content**

**-x-x-x-**

**There's Nothing Wrong...with Being Different.**

**-x-x-x-**

"Kagome?"

"Hm?" Blue eyes turned up at the name, "yes?"

"We have another case that's been admitted for investigation."

Sighing, slender arms reached up over a messy black bun atop a heart shaped head. Taking the man in her doorway in, she dropped her arms and leaned her chin on an open-faced palm, "aren't you free? I'm working on two cases already, Lawliet."

"Yes, well, those two might take a bit longer, this one I think will be easily admitted into the Academy."

"So you say," she held her hand out, her ears catching the soft padding of socks on a clean carpet, "where are your shoes?" She took the file as he placed it in her hands, her eyes lingering on his socks before turning to the file. Flipping it open, she looked at the white hair, charcoal eyes and pale complexion of the individuals profile picture. "He reminds me of a little lamb, or a sheep."

"I thought so too,"

She frowned, "go put your shoes on, you can go with me."

"I'd rather not,"

"I'll buy you something sweet,"

"..."

**-x-x-x-**

"What makes a good child?"

Kagome felt the beginnings of a strangled sigh, "isn't it normal to question such concepts? Lawliet, don't ask me such questions while you have whipped cream on your cheek. It really shatters the illusion that you have going for yourself."

Wiping away the white cream from his cheek, he scrunched his brows up in thought as he took in what she'd said, "What illusion?"

"You know, the whole "world renowned Genius" thing."

"It's hardly an illusion,"

She raised a brow as he popped a strawberry into his mouth. It was true that he was in fact a Genius known worldwide, but his knees drawn up to his chin and the owlish look on his face told a different story altogether. Though, he wasn't the first Genius she'd met with such oddities.

"So, what makes a good child?"

The question was repeated.

'_Why?'_ She looked accusingly at the file on the dinner table, "the therapist who was working with him, copied that line often in his speech to paper analysis. This child is only seven, and he's thinking about such topics? I imagine his family upbringing wasn't one that would be described as desirable among children. That kind of question, who do you think he was trying to please?"

The man across from her smiled sadly, "his mother. Think about it. It says his father was deceased before he was born, his mother raised him for the most part, but she held a pretty important position where she worked."

"Important position? So, long days, longer nights, and what...always on the phone?"

He nodded, "isn't that what comes to mind? We won't find out though until you speak with him. The therapist always gave him a different answer to that question."

Kagome opened the file and flipped through pages after pages of psychoanalysis, "A good child is one that does not make a fuss. A good child is one that is not reckless. A good child does well in school. A good child doesn't cause trouble for their parents. A good child-" she stopped and shut the file, "this just pisses me off!"

_Lawliet_ eyed the file as he placed his fork down on the empty plate. "You will have a better answer?"

She honestly wasn't so sure, but then, any answer was a better answer than the nonsense she had read. _'What makes a good child? What makes...a good child?'_

**-x-x-x-**

"Miss. Higurashi, Mr. Lawliet, a delight it is to have you both here."

A woman smiled as she shook Kagome's hand, holding her hand out expectantly to Lawliet who gave it the briefest glance before he turned his eyes away from the woman. Kagome rolled her eyes, "I apologize, but as long as I've known him, he never shaken anyone's hand in greeting." She watched the woman smile in understanding before her hand fell back to her side awkwardly, "Madam, it's to my understanding that this child has been staying at the Sanatorium since his mother passed away. Can you explain to me the reason he hasn't been handed over to CPS yet?"

"Well, he was already admitted under our care. Mrs. Rivers had severe reservations over his OCD, although, a few of our doctors have made claims that the women suffered from Munchausen Syndrome. We are not the first hospital that Nate has been admitted into. His file is extensive."

"I've read it. Why have you not addressed the mothers' condition then, if it seems obvious?"

"We have. However, she brings him back for different problems. This is his second time at our hospital." She guided them to a room where a few kids could be seen through a window playing with games and toys. One such child sat off in a corner with plain wooden blocks. There were colorful ones scattered off to the side, but he was only using those that were natural wood. "He's a clean child, very neat, though...I wouldn't say he's OCD. He does demonstration a certain few traits of one with OCD, but nothing severe. One of our therapists have actually voiced concerns that he might be suffering from Schizoid, and from what I can tell, he's not wrong in this assessment."

"Schizoid..." Kagome leaned forward a bit, crossing her arms on the ledge before the window as she applied her weight a bit, "a personality disorder that's characterized by a long-standing pattern of detachment from social relationships. Such a person will normally have difficulty expressing emotions and does so typically in a very restricted range, especially when communicating with others. They lack a desire for intimacy and will avoid close relationships. Preferring to spend their time alone rather than socializing or indulging in group activities. In layman's terms, a "loner"." She chuckled, pushing herself away from the window, she walked towards the door and opened it only slightly, turning to meet the woman's eyes as she added, "There is no real problem with Schizoid Syndrome, just look at Lawliet. This guy is the walking definition of the Syndrome."

Stepping inside the room, she smiled as a little boy ran up to her and held out a stuffed pig. "Hi, is this for me?" She asked as she crouched down to his eyelevel, making sure that she appeared as nonthreatening as she could.

"It's for Near,"

"Where is Near?"

"Near is here, Near is far..."

She tilted her head curiously at the boy, "I see, why don't you go give it to Near then? Or is Near too far that you can't?"

The boy eyed her for a moment before taking the stuffed pig from her and running to the very child she'd come in to speak with. Said child didn't look up as the boy stepped forward.

"Near, this is for you!"

_Near_ glanced up at the boy, his eyes took in the pig before he dropped his hand from the blocks and carefully took the pig in his hand. Kagome watched the interaction as the boy returned to playing with the other kids. Walking over to the Albino, she sat down a foot from him and watched him build. He was working on what looked like a bridge, but his fingers would tighten on pieces in obvious frustration every so often as his eyes trailed over his work. "The blocks aren't small enough for truly intricate architecture."

His hand stilled.

She smiled, "Nate Rivers...do you prefer Nate or Near?"

He let his hand fall, placing the block down before turning and giving her his undivided attention. "Are you another therapist?"

She didn't answer. "Nate or Near?"

"...Near."

"Where did the name Near come from?"

"I made it up,"

"Why?" She watched as he brought a finger to a white lock, twirling his finger around the soft curl as he stared vacantly at the stuffed pig he'd been given.

"Near is here...yet still, everyone is out of reach...so Near is far."

'_Cute...he's like L.' _She lifted her hand, holding it out to him as she waited to see what he'd do. He stopped twirling his hair and looked at her hand, as if he wasn't sure what to do with it. _'Had his mother never held his hand before? So then, what about hugs and kisses? Familial gestures like that...it's no wonder he's a loner. He doesn't know how to interact with others, because he was never taught.' _She sighed, "Near, why not come with me. This place...you'll rot if you stay here."

He didn't tear his eyes away from her, instead, still looking at the extended hand, he spoke. "What makes a good child?"

'_...that question.'_ She closed her eyes, her hand going limp a bit as she rested her arm on her bent knee. "A good child, huh? Whatever it means to make a "good child". It doesn't mean being "perfect". I don't know if there's a proper answer to this question, but what I believe makes a good child, qualities like compassion, understanding, self-discipline, and appreciation. Is there another way to think about it? Hm," she smiled, "yeah, I got it. Good children put themselves on the path towards becoming happy, successful adults." She jumped at the feel of a small and warm hand carefully slipping into her lazily dangling hand. Her eyes snapped open at the intrusion and she looked into wide charcoal eyes. Her heart skipped a beat at the innocence that was held there in spades. "Did you like my answer?"

Eyeing both his hand and hers, he stole his gaze from their hands and looked away as he returned his empty hand to that lone lock of hair, twirling it around his finger like so. "I found it acceptable."

'_Acceptable, huh?'_ She stood and his arm stretched a bit as she waited. When he followed her example, she started walking in silence towards the door. "There's nothing wrong with you, Near." He didn't say anything, perhaps because, he didn't believe her. Still, she had to say it. "You are different, but that's not a bad thing. In many cases, that's a good thing. This is one such case. Near?"

"...yes?"

"I'm sure of it; your mother thought that you were a Good Child. So, let's both of us work towards becoming good adults."

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Here is the first chapter of Hear Me Now. Let's go ahead and put this out there. It's more DN centric than it is IY, characters from both will appear, neither storylines will apply, this is completely AU, with some career similarities. I hope you enjoy. Merry Christmas~! Review!**


	2. Mello

**Hear Me Now**

**Summary: This is a School for the Uniquely Genii type. A great many children are admitted into Asylums or Mental Health Care Establishments under the assumption that they are unhinged, disturbed...insane. Truth be told, these quirky little deviants are simply ****_misunderstood_**** in their ****_abnormalities_****. So, they are brought to Wammy's Academy for the Gifted.**

**Anime: InuYasha/Death Note**

**Pairing: Near/Mello**

**Genre: Romance/Suspense/Angst**

**Rated: M for Mature Content**

**-x-x-x-**

**The Shadows that we Cast**

**-x-x-x-**

Placing papers on a stack, Kagome relaxed back in her office chair as she took in the sigh of her clean desk. Not a file left undone, not an ounce of work left to do. It was quite the feeling of liberation, knowing that you had the rest of the day to yourself, free from paperwork and free from your colleague.

"Kagome,"

'_...'_ her eyes slowly trailed across her desk and up to where she saw her colleague standing in the doorway of her office. "I just finished all of the papers you left me, what could you possibly need?"

He smiled, "the two cases you were working on before we picked up Near, how are they coming along?"

"The two boys are relatively normal, but they are both above average in intellect. I wanted to see their minds in action, but where they are now, they act as any kid would. They play outside, they bury themselves in video games and try to act out among the crowd that overshadows them. Hey, this one..." She pulled one of the two files from her desk drawer, "I'm having the hardest time with him, because he doesn't hold any ambition or motivation unless it involves a game. It's kind of infuriating, really."

"...you want me to look into him?"

She nodded, "I'm going to see Keehl in an hour, you can leave now and meet Jeevas."

He took the file and nodded his head, walking out of her office with her eyes trailing after his bare feet.

Kagome shook her head before calling out loudly, "put some socks and shoes on!" Not hearing any reply, she stood and grabbed the second file on her desk before chasing after her colleague. "Lawliet!" She yelled, "L Lawliet! You answer me when I talk to you!"

L looked back at her with an owlishly innocent look in his eyes, "yes?"

"Don't act like you didn't hear what I said! Socks, shoes, now!"

He glanced at his feet before he walked into his own office. Five minutes later, he came out scratching his head as he irritably tapped his foot. Socks and shoes both dressed his feet, but the annoyance he felt wearing the constricting items was clear as day. "Now can I go?"

She waved him off and watched him leave. Sighing, she left in the opposite direction as she made a quick round through the academy.

"Miss. Higurashi! Misa wanted to speak with you in regard to the newest student."

Kagome paused and turned back towards the direction of their young Japanese Instructor, Misa Amane. "What is it?"

"He is already quite fluent in Japanese, I know he's only been here for three days now, but I was wondering if come the start of the week he could be placed with some of the struggling children on a rotation."

Kagome frowned, "it's quite early to be thinking about rotational schedules, and he's pretty young. On another note, he's not the most social." She watched Misa's eyes dull a bit before smiling, "I'll think it over a bit more, and I will have a discussion with him before I make my final decision."

Nodding, Misa smiled, "thank you Miss. Higurashi!"

**-x-x-x-**

"Is Mihael around?"

"Miss. Higurashi, you came back?" The man behind the counter looked a bit surprised, "I-oh, Mihael is in the library, you can go ahead."

Kagome nodded, pausing before walking away, she asked, "why were you not expecting me to return?"

"Honestly, Mihael very rarely speaks to adults, and that turns them away rather quickly as he doesn't care to deal with them. You saw it yourself, right? Active and outgoing, he's a carefree spirit with the kids, but he shuts down with adults. You may get one or two words from him, but not a sentence more."

She acknowledged what he said as truths, having seen it for herself over the last few days. Turning her back on the gentleman, she left him staring after her as she walked down the familiar halls of the Winchester Orphanage. For orphans, Kagome and L would make rounds and look into the children that were in these facilities. Unlike Asylums or Health Facilities, their cases weren't handed over to the Wammy Academy, no. These were kids that L and Kagome took a keen interest in personally. For Kagome, she had stumbled upon Mihael Keehl and Mail Jeevas while on her usual rounds, almost completely by accident. One might say it was fate, on her part, she didn't quite believe in such things.

"There he is," walking inside the library, she nodded her head towards the social worker that was talking in hushed tones with another child. Her eyes lingered for only a moment before she realized that the child was in a case of abuse with her last family. The contusions along her arm and across her collarbone told a devastating tale. Passing the two, she walked over to the table furthest in the library, a small boy with blonde hair neatly brushed to his shoulders and intense and expressive blue eyes staring hard at the page of the book he was reading, sat secluded from the world around him.

Taking a seat across from him. She watched him, he didn't glance up, but she knew that he was aware of her presence. Her eyes lingering on the book in his hand, she read the title over. "The Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov...that's quite the book you're reading. Fascinating characters, do you have a favorite?" She listened, receiving no response, she continued, "maybe I should ask what part you favor? I personally enjoyed the plot of the first portion of the book. But I was also quite fascinated with Behemoth. The...subversive _puss in boots_ if you will. What's not to love about a mischievous, gun-happy and fast-talking black cat?"

Mihael didn't even pretend to be listening, but she knew he was. The boy was quick to learn, and quick to listen. He was smart, a genius.

"I bet you like the Master and Margarita, the two lovers who had not earned the glories of heaven, but not deserving the punishments of hell, spend eternity together in a shadowy yet pleasant region of limbo."

He finally closed the book with a resounding snap and his eyes met hers, the cool blue took her in thoughtfully before finally, he spoke. "Woland."

"Woland?" She nodded, "okay, I can see the interest. I'd go as far as to call it Sympathetic Understanding. Rationalizing Satan's deeds as gentlemanly acts, the way they dressed him up. _Now that I think about it, Watari looks like the depicted Satan that is Woland._"

Mihael sighed, "I like the originality behind his character, differing greatly from the traditional idea of the Devil; in that, Woland does not seek to torture mankind for his enjoyment, but to expose and draw out the worst in people so that it is there for all to see."

Kagome smiled, "his role is remarkably similar to the idea of the artist as someone who holds up a mirror to society. An advocate not for evil, but for the acknowledgement and understanding of evil's place in the world. Expressing such to Matthew Levi towards the end of the novel, I believe."

"Mm," Mihael nodded his head, "he explains that good can't exist without evil, just as humans can't exist without casting a shadow. I believe, in this, he comes off as more of a Philosophical figure, a true "foreigner" from beyond moral spheres of mankind, whose rule is to highlight the hypocrisies and folly of mankind's arrogant behaviors."

This had to be the most he'd ever said to her, in all their meetings combined. She sighed, "you really are a genius, and only eight-year-old, right?"

"If my intellect is to be measured by my age, I'll be nine in a month. However, as an adult, I'm sure that does little to convince you of my _much_ higher IQ."

"Oh! You are so snarky!" She laughed, watching his cheeks heat a shade of pink rose. "Mihael, you don't like it here, and you're too smart to stay. Come with me, let me take you somewhere that your mind will be nourished, and you can have the freedom to never-ending academics. You have a hunger in your eyes, I can see it. The smartest kid here, even more intelligent than the adults that run this establishment. You must be bored out of your mind. I can introduce you to a variety of sharp minds, and there, you will be recognized as the genius you are."

"Is this your sales pitch?" He chuckled, "what, do you collect geniuses?"

"No, I work at Wammy's Academy for the Gifted, and it's an invite only Academy with dorms included. Until you are ready to leave, until you can make it on your own...those who go to the Academy, they usually never get adopted, but they pave their future into the world as leaders of their trades. I guess, the question comes down to...what is it you long for most? Domestic Life...or Academic?"

"...you can't have both?"

"Most people fail miserably at balancing both. It's best to focus on one until you are able to grasp onto and _hold_ onto both."

Mihael stood up and brought a hand to a thin silver chain that disappeared beneath the collar of the black long-sleeved sweater he wore. "...I only have one family, and they were gunned down because of business disagreements."

Kagome thoughtfully played around with the boys' words, "...mafia?"

"..."

She nodded to herself, "the Mafia is a family all its own. In the Italian Mafia, there is a term used, _La Cosa Nostra_, which means _our thing_. However, the Russian Mafia isn't about family, is it? So, your _family_, you were the son of Yuri and Mir Keehl...I read about the shooting a couple weeks ago, didn't know they had a kid."

"Are you changing your mind now?"

Kagome stood up, closing her eyes as she let out a heavy sigh, "yeah, yeah I am." She opened her eyes and smirked, "I'm retracting my earlier invitation. You no longer have a choice in the matter, Mihael!"

Blue eyes widened, "wha―"

"I won't let you stay here! Absolutely not!" She held her hand out, "Mihael, come with me~"

His fingers slowly trailed away from the book he'd been tightly gripping on the table. Tentatively, he let his fingers graze against the tips of hers before a look of determination burned dangerously in his eyes and he took her hand in a tight and firm grip. Whatever the future held for him; he wasn't stupid enough to think that staying in this dingy orphanage would get him there. No, this woman held more prospects for his future, and the countless benefits that came with having an open-ended lease that was free, with academics, food and board included...that was more than enough for him to take the first steps forward. "I have one condition,"

She tilted her head, "oh? What does the little Mafia boss want to ask of me?"

He smirked, "I get to stay in your room. As part of an affluential Mafia background, I should be given the luxury of your protection, don't you agree?"

'_Snarky...and cunning...this is an oddly endearing combination,' _she smiled, "you can have the room connected to mine. This way my privacy isn't compromised, and my pride doesn't suffer the loss of negotiation with a kid. Oh, but that means...you'll have a roommate. Thankfully, it's a double bed dorm," she commented more to herself, shrugging it off as an afterthought as she pulled the boy up from the seat, he was in. He looked to be in a state of shock at being placed in another person's room, but so long as it was close to hers, she supposed he'd have no problem with the arrangement. _'Now, I only hope that L had as much success as I did in getting Mail.'_

"Oh, there is one more thing,"

"Hm?"

"Don't call me Mihael,"

She blushed, "oh, Keehl then?"

"No, call me Mello. I'd rather no one tie me back to the Mafia at all. My mom used to call me Mellow Yellow because of my hair..." he twiddled with a strand of blonde hair, "so, Mello should be fine."

'_Cute. Mellow as in "warm"? Warm Yellow. He's got a point. So, Near and Mello...' _She nodded, "I understand, Mello it is."

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Here is chapter two of Hear Me Now~! Next is Matt! I'm doing this with three introductive chapters before the story actually really comes to a start. Near was the first to be brought in, but he was not the first to be looked into. Mello and Matt were actually under investigation before Near was. However, I like the play of First and Second playing a major role in the demented psychological discrepancies that'll take place between Near and Mello. Review and MERRY CHRISTMAS!**


	3. Matt

**Hear Me Now**

**Summary: This is a School for the Uniquely Genii type. A great many children are admitted into Asylums or Mental Health Care Establishments under the assumption that they are unhinged, disturbed...insane. Truth be told, these quirky little deviants are simply ****_misunderstood_**** in their ****_abnormalities_****. So, they are brought to Wammy's Academy for the Gifted.**

**Anime: InuYasha/Death Note**

**Pairing: Near/Mello**

**Genre: Romance/Suspense/Angst**

**Rated: M for Mature Content**

**-x-x-x-**

**Eat, Sleep, Game, Repeat**

**-x-x-x-**

Looking at the front entrance of the rundown orphanage, walls lined with cracks, decorated with only the finest of mildew and molding along the edge of the stone and windows. Stepping up the steps, he acknowledged the cracked window on the side of the door. He glanced back at the vehicle that was waiting for his return. The man in the drivers' seat waved him off and he gave a long sigh before opening the door and walking inside. _I'm getting some serious "The Orphanage" vibes...'_

"Excuse me sir, can I help you?"

L stopped and looked to see an old woman standing by what appeared to be the front office. A very _rundown_ front office. "Looking for Mail Jeevas, Kagome sent me to come and visit him."

"Oh, that's right. She mentioned you would be taking Mail with you today. Kagome wasn't having much luck with getting him to say much."

L frowned at that, having read the file, he'd realized quickly just how little of a conversationalist this boy was too. "Where can I find him?"

"That's a good question," the old woman smiled in kind, "I think...hm, ah, no... maybe...no...oh, I know. Try the study room down the hall. Yes, he should still be there. Oh, but wait, maybe not...huh?"

L was already walking away from the old woman. Losing interest quickly in her stop-and-go speech. Whether the boy was in the study room or not, he'd find him easier on his own.

**-x-x-x-**

"Naomi, you got that box?"

"Yes. I've got it. Where is Beyond, I thought he was going to help us today?"

Kagome frowned, "he's sick, actually. I checked in on him earlier, but he's got a fever for miles. Watari called the doctor and we were told to keep him in bed and to feed him some chicken broth. His throat is swollen so he can't even swallow noodles without pain."

Naomi Misora, one of the other teachers at the Academy, placed a large box on the floor of Kagome's office. "Who's going to cover Beyond's class?"

"Capoeira isn't something I'm all that talented in." Kagome said, placing the box she'd been holding down on top of the one Naomi had brought in. "L knows it well, but he's covering Criminology this month. What about you, Naomi?"

Naomi frowned, "I'm covering Biology this month."

"How about I cover Biology and you take over Capoeira until Beyond is better?"

Nodding, Naomi agreed to switch. "I can give you my syllabus then when we finish bringing the clothes in."

"Oh, you know, I'm thinking we can expand our libraries computer science and neuroscience sections."

"You are always working so hard to improve this Academy, hey...how is it you came to work here, Kagome?"

"Me? Hm...how was it? L recruited me. When I was working on my master's for Social and Behavioral Research, I was also working as a Psychology Assistant. L was sent to the Therapist I worked for after an incident with...well, with you."

Naomi suddenly realized exactly what she was talking about. "I didn't realize it was L when I arrested him, but did he have to grab me from behind like that!?"

"You made him curious about Capoeira when you helped him with the Los Angeles Blood Bath Murder Cases."

"The L.A. BB Murder Cases...that was insane. Wait, but why did he end up in Therapy after I arrested him?"

Pulling a long sleeve black shirt, she stared at it thoughtfully before folding it neatly beside her. "The police said something about him being abnormal in his captivity, he kept asking for cake, and asking to call Watari and such. They didn't believe him when he said he was a world-famous detective either. So, yeah...they sent him to us, and that's how I met him. I wasn't even in charge of his sessions. I would talk with him in the waiting room, making off handed comments here and there. We talked about Wammy's a lot. I found out by the Therapist that he didn't need to come in after the first initial session they'd had. He just kept coming to talk about my ideas for a school that I wasn't aware even existed. About four months later, he asked for me to come with him. Said he had something to show me...and I've been with him ever since."

Naomi smiled at that, "so he implemented all of your ideas and then brought you to the Academy?"

Kagome nodded, pulling another shirt from the box in front of her. "He said, he wanted to expand on my ideas. I asked him if that meant he was just using me, and without missing a beat, he said "yes". Then he apologized."

Laughing, the two continued unpacking the boxes of clothes for the kids in the Academy.

"So, L is working on one of your cases, right?"

"Mail," Kagome looked at the clock on the wall and smiled, "yeah, he should be meeting him about now."

**-x-x-x-**

L Lawliet was by no means a social butterfly. He was okay with this, so he didn't bother trying to correct it as a personality or behavior flaw of his. Kagome commented constantly on how he needed to work on speaking more openly with people. Now, he had come here fully prepared to talk professionally with this eight-year-old kid that Kagome had her eyes on, but...

"Mr. Jeevas, I'll try again. You can call me L. I came in place of...Kagome..."

_~Bleep~Boop~Boop~_

With recent developments, he found himself unsure of the best way to continue forward with this case. Every attempt to speak to the boy, went unanswered and unacknowledged.

"You do recall, Miss. Higurashi, right?"

_~Boop~Bleep~_

It's not that he couldn't start a conversation, he could. He did all the time. Still, a barrier had been built that subjected him to total silence. "Mr. Jeevas?"

_~BING~BING~BING~BING~BING~BING~BING~BING~_

L's eyes widened at the obnoxious sound of coins being collected. "Mail Jeevas,"

"I hate that name."

His eyes didn't leave the screen for even a moment as Mail said this. L tilted his head and asked calmly, "is there another name I can call you?"

"Simply don't talk to me, and you should be able to avoid using my name all together." He commented in a dull tenor. "Lame, I finished the game again." He switched off the GameBoy then turned it back on and started the game over.

"If you like Games..."

Green eyes lifted from the screen and met L's charcoal gray eyes. "...if I like games, what?"

L pulled out a Rubix Cube and placed it on the table in front of the red head.

The boy put the GameBoy down and reached forward to the cube of mixed colors. Twisting, turning, flipping, twisting again, the cube was solved in a matter of a minute and fifteen seconds before Mail tossed it towards L who stared at the solved cube curiously.

"Got anything a little more challenging, or is that the best you've got for me?"

L smiled, "If you want a new game, I could buy you another one."

Mail chuckled, "are you rich enough to buy my love?"

"It's not your love I'm looking for, but your intelligence." He watched the boy reach for his game system, reaching for it and grabbing as the red heads fingers settled on the device. "You are quite a curious kid, so long as you aren't buried in a video game. I'd like to test your intellect and see how far you can go in the world with everything working in your favor."

Mail lifted his eyes from the hand holding his game stationary. Dropping his own hand away from the man across from him, he pressed a boot to the table and pushed so that he was balancing on the back two legs of his chair. "Working in my favor? How exactly?"

"You've been invited to Wammy's Academy for the Gifted. An education will be provided, food three times daily, desert and snacks even, like...cake, doughnuts, cookies, ice cream and pie..." L's eyes were alit, and he felt himself becoming hungry by just the mere thought of a warm slice of pie. "You would have a room as well. I'm sure sneaking in a game here and there won't be a problem, but you'd need to study and work hard as a student of the Academy. That would be the only way I could make it work."

"Really seems like a lot of work," Mail said in boredom.

"I see," L nodded, "then there isn't much of a reason for me to linger around here. Enjoy your game, again."

Mail blanched at that and sat his chair back on the ground as he brought a hand down on the desk, "we get a new game on the way to your crummy Academy, and I'll keep my grades up for the price of a Game a month!"

L frowned, "that sounds reasonable," he looked at the boy in thought, _'how expensive could a game be?' _L nodded to himself, "alright then, if you can keep your grades in the top three over all at the Academy, I will see to it that you get a game monthly. Would you like to gather your belongings?"

"My belongings?" Mail raised a brow, picking up his GameBoy and lifting it in front of L, "you're looking at them."

"Then let us be on our way."

**-x-x-x-**

L realized after leaving the GameShop that games were quite a bit more expensive than what he'd previously anticipated. Trying to ignore the fact that he just spent sixty dollars on a _game_, he ushered Mail into the car and climbed into the passenger seat. The driver's seat was occupied by an elderly gentleman who was known as Watari, or...Quillish Wammy, the Academy Director. Not that the boy in the back on his new game was aware of this tidbit. L rarely drove anywhere unless he absolutely had to. Almost always, he went in search of the Director if Kagome was busy and couldn't go with him.

"_The graphics are ten times better,"_ the hushed murmur of Mail called to L's attention.

Watching him in the passenger side mirror, he curiously wondered about the boy's life. Opening the file in his lap up, he looked over the contents and stared blankly at the lack of information. He'd appeared in the Orphanage one day. He wouldn't talk to anyone about his parents, just said he didn't have any. Kagome had jotted down notes while watching him on the computer in the office. He had an insatiable curiosity when a computer was at his disposal and would look up things ranging from Nanotechnology to International Cybercrime. "Watari, so we have a laptop that we can spare?" His eyes on Mail as the boy paused his game and listened to L. Even raising his head in natural curiosity.

"We have a couple, but I was thinking that every student should have a laptop. What do you think?"

L nodded, "it would certainly help with their education and classwork."

Watari smiled, "I think so too. I will have laptops purchased when I arrive, but for now, you may go ahead and provide Mail with one of the ones we aren't using until the new laptops arrive."

Looking at Watari, L nibbled a bit on his thumb.

"Was I wrong? Is that not why you were asking?"

"You weren't wrong,"

It never failed to surprise L. Watari's natural insight. He knew things...not sure how, but he knew things.

Mail was looking at the back of their heads, eyes wide in surprise as he realized just how real it all was. No uncomfortable adoption, just relocating to a better establishment where he'd have his own room, an education and monthly games added to his now, never ending collection. The best part about it? To his understanding, it was all free, and all he had to do, was score in the top three students. How hard could that possibly be? _'What a joke, this is going to be stupid easy!'_

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Here is chapter 3 of Hear Me Now, and of course, that brings the introductory chapters to a close. Merry Christmas Everyone, and I'll update again soon! Check my profile for the next expected BBB update and I'll see you all then! Send Love Through and Review~**


	4. Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right

**Hear Me Now**

**Summary: This is a School for the Uniquely Genii type. A great many children are admitted into Asylums or Mental Health Care Establishments under the assumption that they are unhinged, disturbed...insane. Truth be told, these quirky little deviants are simply **_**misunderstood**_** in their **_**abnormalities**_**. So, they are brought to Wammy's Academy for the Gifted.**

**Anime: InuYasha/Death Note**

**Pairing: Near/Mello**

**Genre: Romance/Suspense/Angst**

**Rated: M for Mature Content**

**-x-x-x-**

_**Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right.**_

**-x-x-x-**

Kagome stepped back and watched a few of the kids in the Academy run by her. She honestly didn't care if they ran, so long as they watched where they were going. When she heard the door behind her open, she turned around and smiled, "oh goodie!" Stepping up to L, she knelt and smiled, "Mr. Jeevas, I'm so glad that you've decided to join us."

"I'm only here for the games,"

'_Games,' _she looked up and watched as L turned away from her eyes. Nodding, she narrowed her eyes a bit before returning her attention to the boy, "that's all fine. I'll take you to your room. Ah, come with me real quick." Standing, she started towards the office with Mail and L following her quietly. One with his game in hand, the other with his hands buried in his pockets.

"Lawliet, welcome back!"

"Is Naomi not supposed to be in Biology right now?"

"I'm taking over Capoeira, Kagome is covering Biology."

He nodded, "and yet she's detouring."

Kagome glanced back over her shoulder as she opened her office, the look on her face told L to stop talking. He did so quickly. Stepping inside her office, she walked towards another door and pushed the box that was jarring it open out of the way. "We got our shipment in. I haven't had a chance to do this with everyone yet, but since you are here, now's a good time to take care of you."

Mail wasn't sure what it was that she was going on about, so he chose to wait and see where this went. When the light came on, he was surrounded by wall to wall shelves of clothes. The sizes were marked on the shelves in permanent marker on small stickers. He looked around and was surprised to find all the clothes were new. It was like a small store. Neatly folded shirts, shorts, jeans, and sweaters lined the shelves on three walls. Jackets and dresses were on a rack against another wall. Under the shelves on one wall, there were tubs labeled socks and underwear. Through the clear fog of the tub, he could make out the plastic that held the garments. "You guys, you're really nothing like an Orphanage."

"We are here to supply you with the necessary tools needed for a better and brighter future. This is only offered to those who show an initiative to succeed. Well, there are _other_ specifications needed to be qualified. That's not important. What _is_ important, is making sure you have something to sleep in tonight and a couple different things to change into during the week. So, what's your style?"

He eyed her cautiously before stepping forward and walking around the room.

"I'll leave you two for now. Lawliet, you know which room he's in?"

"Yes,"

She gave a small nod and left L to continue with Mail.

**-x-x-x-**

"Why do I need to share a room with you?"

"Mello is asking a question he already knows the answer to. As Mrs. Kagome made sure to answer Mello's question when he asked it the first time."

_Mello_ glared at the Albino in _his_ room. Though, it was technically Near's room, if he was going by the fact that the younger boy had been there first. Not that he cared about that. Leaning his head against the wall, he thought about the fact that just behind him was Kagome's room. She was by far the most attractive female he'd seen. Even if she were much older than him, she was pretty. He curiously wondered about just how old she was. If she ran this school, she had to be decently old, right? Well, old enough.

"Is Mello dissatisfied with being my roommate?"

Turning his attention away from his thoughts, he looked at _Near_. He didn't have any real problem with the boy, _yet_. He just thought he'd have a better chance of sneaking out of his room if there wasn't someone in his room that he'd have to factor in. Until recently, he had no problem getting in and out of the establishment in which he had been placed upon the death of his parents. He had to room with five other kids then but getting in and out was easy because they were little and slept hard. He only hoped that this one was similar. "I'm dissatisfied with having a roommate, not you specifically."

"I've never had a roommate. At the sanatorium, I had my own room. It was quiet."

To Mello, it sounded like Near was insulting him. As if he talked too much. To Near, he was merely pointing out how much he disliked the silence of an empty room. This wouldn't be the last misunderstanding to take place among the boys.

**-x-x-x-**

**(Two Months Later)**

"What were you thinking?!"

Kagome brought her hand to a cupboard, digging around inside as she pulled out a first aid kit. Her hands had a splatter of blood on them. Behind her, Near and Mello stood with bruises and bloodied lips.

"Mello started it."

She turned a very cold glare on Near, "I'm not looking to learn who started it! I would like to know, however, how the two of you got from point A to point B!"

"If point A is being passively annoyed about having to share a room with this impassive and emotionless machine, and point B is getting tired of him always looking down on me and finally doing something about it, then it happened because he got arrogant about his damn score!"

"Mello misunderstood_, as usual._" Near made to bring his hand up to his hair, only for Kagome to swat it away. There was still blood on his fingers from where he'd shocked Mello and punched the blonde in the face. "I was merely offering to help him study."

'_God damn,'_ Kagome looked at Mello who was clutching his fists and trying not to lose his cool in front of her. She knew these two. She had an _exceptionally_ good understanding of them. "Near, you know very well how Mello takes these scores. You also knew that this kind of comment would elicit such a _dramatic_ show of outrage. Not to say, that this was okay. Mello, you two have gotten into a fight every day since coming here. Now, if being in the same room is such a problem, then how about we consider a different placement."

"Why do I have to be punished! He's the one who always provokes me!"

"Do not make me throw the fundamentals of _'two wrongs don't make a right'_ at you. Why do you think I'm punishing you? I'm not. I don't care if you two want to beat the other up, just don't do it in my classroom!"

"Mrs. Kagome, are you sure you should be saying that?" Near directed his eyes at Mello who smirked back at him.

Sighing, she took a knee and brought a cotton ball dabbed in peroxide to Mello's lip. "Sorry, I don't want the two of you fighting. I would _like_ for the two of you to get along. You two are among the top three students in the Academy, and you've only been here for two months. That's a big deal. Why can't my brightest students get along? Is your intelligence academic only? Maturity wise, have the two of you remained at a toddler level?"

Mello and Near dropped their gaze.

"I don't want to resort to this, but if you are having this much difficulty getting along, then I may need to lock the two of you up in a closet together."

Mello looked mortified, "that's child abuse! You cant!"

"Then try and get along!" She yelled back, desperate for this blonde spitfire to understand her feelings. She pressed a Band-Aid to the corner of his lip and moved to Near. He was bleeding along his eyebrow, the fact that his eye was slightly swelling and bruised told her a story of how this fight had started. The progression from a shiner to a busted lip. Really, it wasn't like this was the only fight she dealt with, but theirs were certainly the most frequent names that came up. Among the newest students to arrive, Mail's name _never_ came up. He was a perfect student. He got good grades, stayed out of arguments, never fought, and was good-natured with the other kids. _"There's an idea,"_ she muttered to herself. "I want the two of you to _try_ and get along. Talk to each other. Learn about one another. You never know. The two of you could have a lot in common, but because you never give each other a chance, you'll never know. Mello, Near could be the difference between life and death one day, don't push away a possible ally."

"If he's willing to take a bullet for me, we should start practicing now so he doesn't miss when it's important."

"Somehow, I find it unlikely that we will ever get along." Near expressed as Kagome pressed a Band-Aid to his eyebrow. She took a warm wet cloth and wiped the blood from his fingers and face before standing.

"Then I'm cutting you boys off. Chill out in your bedroom for the next few days, I'll have food sent upstairs to you. Otherwise, no chocolate, and no puzzles. Books are a luxury. You two will need to find something to do to pass the time." She picked her phone up from the counter in the kitchen, ignoring the shocked looks on the boys faces.

'_How evil...'_ Mello felt his crush slowly dying as the beautiful woman denied him his chocolate. Not even able to comment as he was ushered out of the kitchen and back to his room.

"Mello,"

"...what?"

Near, finally able to toy with his hair, brought a finger up to the frequently twirled lock, "perhaps a truce is in order."

Mello stopped walking and turned to face the Albino. He stood a few inches shorter than him, staring up at Mello, unfaltering despite how much of a threat Mello had proven to be. In that respect, Mello was always impressed. No matter how angry he got, no matter how many fights they got in, Near never backed down from him. He didn't cower or duck his head. He looked on unflinchingly, ready for whatever Mello might throw at him. Today a blackeye, tomorrow...well... Mello didn't care to plan his fights, he liked surprises. "A truce. What would the parameters of this cessation of hostilities be?"

Deadpanned, Nears expression flattened at Mello's incessant use of unnecessarily big words. "Mrs. Kagome is becoming quite unreceptive in her punishment. Should we consider taking out fights to an undisclosed location where she is neither kept in the knowhow, or able to come across said location on accident, then we would avoid harsher punishment."

"Great, so I can beat you up without her yelling at us, but that doesn't help the situation we're in now."

"A picture is worth a thousand words, but unless you were there in the moment, no one can really say what happened before the shutter closed."

"...pretend we're getting along?"

"Precisely."

Mello nodded, "fine, we can fine tune this later. For now, how about you and I _get to know_ one another." He tossed an arm over Nears shoulder and smirked when the boy stiffened in his arm. Maybe _getting along_ with Near, wouldn't be so bad.

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Here is chapter four! Hope everyone enjoys~**


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